2008 Woodie Awards
City preps for All-Saints tournament
Jake Laxen
Issue date: 4/26/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
Coming to St. Cloud's Selke Field this weekend will be a bunch of bruises and a lot of underhand passing, as the 22nd annual All Saints Rugby Tournament is slated to take action.
"If you are looking for big hits, physical action and basically the culmination of all contact sports, you have found the right place," SCSU Fighting Carp secretary Zach Gutknecht said.
Roughly 45 teams from around the upper Midwest will be on hand to compete in four different sections: collegiate men's and women's, senior men's and high school.
"This is definitely the biggest tournament in the Minnesota area," SCSU Fighting Carp President Travis Peterson said.
The action begins at 9 a.m. Saturday and will start up again 5 p.m Sunday. The tournament concludes later that evening.
Peterson said he expects more than 1,000 people to attend the event.
"There will be lots of parents, friends and fans of all sort," Peterson said.
After the tornament, players and fans will be invited to a post game party at the Rox Night Club in downtown St. Cloud.
Although rugby is considered to be one of the biggest sports in the world, it has failed to catch on in the United States.
"It is not as brutal as everyone thinks; it is a very organized sport," Peterson said. "A lot of people think it is just a game for stupid men who hit each other and drink a lot of beer, but that couldn't be further from the truth."
Also, many stereotype the game as undisrupted chaos on the field.
"A lot of people think it is just 15 dudes taking it out on each other, but there is a method, you have to be intelligent in your lines," Fighting Carp head coach Arnold Champagne said.
The Fighting Carp have been preparing all season for the tournament.
"All Saints really means a lot to these guys, and they have been working hard from in the dome where we got to the basics to now where we have got more tactical," Champagne said.
The Fighting Carp have a lot of pressure with the tournament occurring on their home turf and past SCSU teams being successful, and placing high in the collegiate pool.
"Our hopes are really high. We know we can take it all," Gutknecht said. "This is our tournament."
The team hopes local campus supporters come out to cheer on the team.
"I guarantee it will be a great experience if you just come out and watch," Peterson said.
Those skeptical can gain interest in the sport with a few words of advice.
"It is a very entertaining game; if we get you to come out we'll convince you," Champagne said.
For more information about the tournament, visit the rugby team Web site at studentorg.stcloudstate.edu/m_rugby/ or contact Travis Peterson at petr0304@stcloudstate.edu.
"If you are looking for big hits, physical action and basically the culmination of all contact sports, you have found the right place," SCSU Fighting Carp secretary Zach Gutknecht said.
Roughly 45 teams from around the upper Midwest will be on hand to compete in four different sections: collegiate men's and women's, senior men's and high school.
"This is definitely the biggest tournament in the Minnesota area," SCSU Fighting Carp President Travis Peterson said.
The action begins at 9 a.m. Saturday and will start up again 5 p.m Sunday. The tournament concludes later that evening.
Peterson said he expects more than 1,000 people to attend the event.
"There will be lots of parents, friends and fans of all sort," Peterson said.
After the tornament, players and fans will be invited to a post game party at the Rox Night Club in downtown St. Cloud.
Although rugby is considered to be one of the biggest sports in the world, it has failed to catch on in the United States.
"It is not as brutal as everyone thinks; it is a very organized sport," Peterson said. "A lot of people think it is just a game for stupid men who hit each other and drink a lot of beer, but that couldn't be further from the truth."
Also, many stereotype the game as undisrupted chaos on the field.
"A lot of people think it is just 15 dudes taking it out on each other, but there is a method, you have to be intelligent in your lines," Fighting Carp head coach Arnold Champagne said.
The Fighting Carp have been preparing all season for the tournament.
"All Saints really means a lot to these guys, and they have been working hard from in the dome where we got to the basics to now where we have got more tactical," Champagne said.
The Fighting Carp have a lot of pressure with the tournament occurring on their home turf and past SCSU teams being successful, and placing high in the collegiate pool.
"Our hopes are really high. We know we can take it all," Gutknecht said. "This is our tournament."
The team hopes local campus supporters come out to cheer on the team.
"I guarantee it will be a great experience if you just come out and watch," Peterson said.
Those skeptical can gain interest in the sport with a few words of advice.
"It is a very entertaining game; if we get you to come out we'll convince you," Champagne said.
For more information about the tournament, visit the rugby team Web site at studentorg.stcloudstate.edu/m_rugby/ or contact Travis Peterson at petr0304@stcloudstate.edu.